Farnham maxwell lyte



(No Model.)

' F. M. LYTE.

ELECTRODE.

No. 507,874. Patented 001;. 24, 1893.

QW I INVENTOR:

' A TTORNE YS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FARNHAM MAXWELL LYTE, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

ELECTRODE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 507,374, dated October24, 1893.

Application filed July 1, 1893. Serial No- '7 1 (NO 1110561) To all whomit may concern.-

Be it known that I, FARNHAM MAXWELL LYTE, analytical chemist, of 60Tinborough Road, London, England, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Electrodes for Use in the Electrolytical Decompositionof Metallic Salts, of which the following is afull, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention relates to the carbon electrodes used in the'electrolyticdecomposition of metallic chlorides or other metallic haloids in a fusedcondition.

The invention has for its object to obtain the advantage, as regardsconductivity, of a metal core for the carbon, without the liability ofdefective electrical contact between the carbon and the core, or ofbursting the carbon in consequence of the different ratios of expansionof the metal and carbon, when heated by immersion in the fused salt tobe decomposed.

To this end the invention consists essentially in the combination with ahollow carbon electrode closed at bottom and open at top, of a core ofmetal or alloy which is fusible at the same or at a lower temperaturethan the metallic salt to be decomposed, so that the core will melt andin the fluid state will make intimate electrical contact with the carbonof the electrode,but will exert no bursting strain thereon inconsequence of the expansion of the metal. The terminal of the electrodeis put in electrical communication with the fusible core by a conductingrod dipping into the fusible core but entirely free from the carbon. Bymeans of this fusible metallic core, the thickness of the carbon to betraversed by the current may be so much reduced and the electricalresistanceso greatly diminished, that the current will easily traversethe carbon throughout its whole area, thereby enabling electrodes ofconsiderable length to be used.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ofthis specification, wherein Figure l is a vertical section and Fig. 2 across section on line 1-1, and Fig. 3 is a cross section on line 2-2 ofFig. 1 of one form of electrode embodying my invention; but it must beunderstood that my invention is not limited to any particular externalor internal form of the electrode.

A, is the carbon electrode in the form of a hollow cylinder closed atthe lower, and open at the upper, end but any other form may be adoptedprovided it is hollow and closed at the lower end. It may either bemolded hollow, or be made solid and bored out, and may be made either ofretort carbon or of plumbago.

B, is the fusible core of lead, tin, or any other metal or alloy whichfuses at the same or a lower temperature than the metallic salt to bedecomposed. The fusing point of the metal or alloy of which the core iscomposed should of course not be so far below the fusing point of thesalt to be decomposed, as to render the core liable to be sublimed orvolatilized by the heat necessary to fuse the salt. In the case ofdecomposing fused plumbic chloride, for which this invention isprincipally intended, I find that lead will answer the purpose.

0, is a rod of difficultly fusible metal, such as copper or iron,attached to the terminal D which is shouldered and fits quite loosely inthe upper end of the carbon, so as to exert no bursting strain thereon,or is otherwise supported so as to maintain the rod 0 in position, therod, which is of considerably smaller section than the bore of thecarbon, plunging into the fusible core B. This rod, if of iron, maybecoated with another metal, lead for instance, to prevent corrosion andinsure good electrical contact with the fusible core B.

Having now particularly described and as certained the nature of thesaid invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declarethat what I claim is- 1. The combination, with a hollow carbon electrodeclosed at bottom, of a core of metal or alloy which is fusible at orbelow the tembon so as to exert no bursting strain whatperature at whichthe electrolytic decomposiever thereon, substantially as specified.

tion of a fused metallic salt is to be performed, Dated this 16th day ofJune, 1893. substantially as specified.

5 2. The combination, with a hollow carbon FARNHAM MAXWELL LYTE'electrode closed at bottom, of a core of metal Witnesses: or alloy whichis fusible at or below the tem- T. W. KENNARD,

perature at which the electrolytic decomposi- Clerk to A. .ll[. d2 W m.Clark, Patent Agents, tion of a fused metallic salt is to be performed,58 Chancery Lane, London.

[0 and of a terminal conductor of metal, not G. F. WVARREN,

fusible at thattemperature,which is plunged Notary Public, 17Gracechurch Street, Loninto the fusible core and is free from thecardon.

